Sleeping platform

ABSTRACT

A sleeping platform for leveling and firming an inclined seating surface has a semi-rigid, rollable mat defining at sleeping area and is placed on the inclined seating surface, at least one wedge for placement under an edge area of the mat and on the inclined seating surface, a flexible, rollable mattress substantially equal in size to the sleeping area, for placement on an upper surface of the mat and a fitted sheet engaging at least around the mat and the mattress for providing a sleeping surface. A T-shaped bridge may also be included under the mat for keeping cushions of the seating surface from separating from each other during sleep.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of beds for sleeping, and in particular, to a new and useful sleeping platform for firming and leveling an inclined seating surface, to convert the seating surface into a comfortable sleeping surface.

The problem of providing a temporary bed for a person visiting a household or requiring sleep in an office or other area not having a conventional sleeping bed, has been solved by various means. This includes the use of folding cots, inflatable mattresses or other temporary bed structures.

If a sofa or other sufficiently long and wide seating surface is available, it is known to use that surface as a temporary bed. Since such seating surfaces are often inclined and commonly soft, this solution does not always provide the best sleeping surface. Some of these problems have been recognized and the use of a leveling wedge has been suggested, for example by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,676,337; 5,852,838 and 9,241,581.

Rolling bedding up for storage is also known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,477.

A need remains for a temporary sleeping platform that provides good support and a level sleeping surface when used on an inclined seating surface, that also may be too soft for good support while sleeping, and which may also include separate cushions that may tend to separate while one is sleeping, to add to the user's discomfort. The cleanliness of temporary bedding has also not be adequately addressed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sleeping platform for leveling and firming an inclined seating surface, the sleeping platform including a semi-rigid, rollable mat defining at sleeping area and placed on the inclined seating surface, at least one wedge for placement under an edge area of the mat and on the inclined seating surface, a flexible, rollable mattress substantially equal in size to the sleeping area, for placement on an upper surface of the mat and a washable fitted sheet engaging at least around the mat and the mattress further holding the mattress and mat together and for providing the sleeping surface on which a user may sleep comfortably.

In this disclosure, leveling means either fully or partly compensating for the inclined seating surface but need not require a fully level sleeping surface.

A T-shaped bridge may also be included under the mat for keeping cushions of the seating surface, i.e. the cushions of a sofa, from separating from each other during sleep.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a sleeping platform illustrating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view therefore, on an inclined seating surface of a sofa;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the platform in a rolled-up storage position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial sectional view of the sleeping platform;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the sofa with cushions and a cushion bridge according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a partial enlarge view of another embodiment of the mat.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to the same or similar elements, a sleeping platform 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, for use on a sofa 100 that may have an inclined seating surface. The platform comprises a flexible foam or foam rubber or memory foam mattress 14 of about ¾ to 3 inches thickness and suitable width and length for an adult. For example, the width may be 18 to 30 inches, or preferably 24 inches, and the length may be 70 to 90 inches, or preferably 72 inches.

A preferred maximum thickness of 1.5 inches and the use of foam with an egg-crate pattern on the upper surface and a flat opposite or bottom surface, was found to work best, since weigh, especially of a memory foam mattress, and the ease of rolling the mattress with mat, was greatly reduced, when egg-crate patterned foam was used. For this disclosure, an egg-crate pattern means any 3-D pattern on the upper surface of the mattress, like the usual pattern of alternating hills and valleys along and across the mattress surface, or any other 3-D pattern that provides alternating high and low support areas for the user's body.

In the alternative, a mattress with flat upper and lower surfaces may be used, or a soft flexible structure having internal voids, such as a honey-comb structure, with or without flat upper and lower coverings.

The mattress 14 rests on a semi-rigid mat 16 of multiple, parallel slats 18 of bamboo or plastic or other semi-rigid material, that are as long as the width of the mattress 14, and that are connected to each other along hinges 20 that may be live hinges of plastic or cloth, or mechanical hinges. In the alternative the hinges are provided by adhering the slats 18, e.g. using glue or other adhesive, to a lower web 19 of fabric or other flexible wedding as illustrated in the FIG. 6, to form the mat.

By using hinges, the mat 16 and mattress 14 can be rolled up as shown in FIG. 3, for storage.

The slats 18 of mat 16 is somewhat flexible but firm so as to act like a box spring for the mattress, to support the sleeper in case the sofa is very soft. The mattress 14 is either temporarily or permanently connected to the mat 16, for example by Velcro brand hook and loop fasteners or other suitable temporary fastening means, or by glue or other permanent adhesive or connection. This temporarily or permanently connection may also be only at one longitudinal end of the mattress and mat combination, the opposite end having a band or strap to keeping the mattress and mat aligned, or just relying on the connection at one end to keep them aligned, as the combination is rolled up into its storage position.

The sleeping platform also includes at least one, but preferable two elastic securing straps 28 that are connected to lower side edge areas of the mat 16, near either end, for engaging around a cushion of the seating surface, for example, the cushion or cushions 112 a sofa 100 shown in FIG. 5.

Wedges 22 can be connected, e.g. using Velco or other means, under one long edge of the mat 16, to help level the platform on an inclined surface 110 of sofa 100, as shown in FIG. 2. Two wedges 22 can be used to support the mat along areas where the sleeper needs more support, like at the shoulders and hips, and so that the wedges can be no longer that the width of the mat and mattress. In this way the platform 10 can be rolled up with the wedges stored along the outer circumference, as shown in FIG. 3, for easier storage.

The wedges 22 may be made of less flexible foam material than the mattress and, rather than extending under a long edge of the mat 16, one wedge may be used under the head area of the mat to raise the user's head and function as a pillow substitute.

A form fit, fitted sheet 24 in FIG. 4, is washable and closely encloses the wedges, mat and mattress, or just the mattress and mat during use, for cleanliness and also the help keep the structure of the platform together during sleep

A T-shaped bridge 26 shown in FIG. 5 may also be included under the mat (not shown in FIG. 5) for keeping adjacent cushions 112, 112 of the seating surface 110, like a sofa 100, from separating from each other during sleep. The bridge 26 comprises a flat support member 26 a of semi-rigid material like plastic to cardboard, for placement under the mat in an area spanning between the cushions, and a vertical anchor member 26 c connected, e.g. by a hinge 26 d, to a lower surface of the support member for engagement between the two adjacent cushions of the seating surface to keep the cushions from separating when the platform is in use. A shown in FIG. 3, by using a hinge 26 d, the bridge 26 can also be folded flat for storage.

To further the effectiveness of the bridge 26, it may include an upper, flexible, high-friction material 26 b, to resist slippage of the mat 16 during use by a user sleeping on the platform.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A sleeping platform (10) for leveling and firming an inclined seating surface (110), comprising: a semi-rigid, rollable mat (16) for defining a sleeping area, adapted to be placed on the inclined seating surface; at least one wedge (22) for placement under an edge area of the mat and on the inclined seating surface; a flexible, rollable mattress (14) substantially equal in size to the sleeping area, for placement on an upper surface of the mat (16); and a fitted sheet (24) for engaging at least around the mat and the mattress for providing a sleeping surface.
 2. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mat (16) comprises a plurality of slats (18) and a hinge (20) between each pair of adjacent slats.
 3. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mattress (14) comprises a flexible foam mattress with one egg-crate patterned surface and an opposite flat surface.
 4. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mattress (14) comprises a memory foam mattress.
 5. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the wedge (22) comprises a foam wedge.
 6. The sleeping platform of claim 1, including two of said wedges (22), each of a length less than a length of said mat (16).
 7. The sleeping platform of claim 1, including two of said wedges (22), each of a length substantially equal to a wide of said mat (16), one wedge being for engagement under a shoulder area of a user and the other wedge being for engagement under a hip area of the user.
 8. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mat (16) and the mattress (14) are rollable together into a rolled storage position.
 9. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mat (16) and the mattress (14) are rollable together into a rolled storage position, the wedge (22) extending axially along an outer surface of the storage position.
 10. The sleeping platform of claim 1, including a bridge (26) having a flat support member (26 a) for placement under the mat and a vertical anchor member (26 c) connected to a lower surface of the support member for engagement between two adjacent cushions of the seating surface to keep the cushions from separating when the platform is in use.
 11. The sleeping platform of claim 1, including a bridge (26) having a flat support member (26 a) for placement under the mat and a vertical anchor member (26 c) hinged to a lower surface of the support member for engagement between two adjacent cushions of the seating surface.
 12. The sleeping platform of claim 1, including at least one strap (28) connected to the mat for engaging around a cushion of a seating surface.
 13. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mat (16) comprised a plurality of slats (18) that are adhered to a lower flexible web (19).
 14. A sleeping platform comprising: a semi-rigid, rollable mat defining at sleeping area, adapted to be placed on the inclined seating surface; and a flexible, rollable mattress substantially equal in size to the sleeping area, for placement on an upper surface of the mat.
 15. The sleeping platform of claim 14, including at least one wedge for placement under an edge area of the mat and on the inclined seating surface and a fitted sheet for engaging at least around the mat and the mattress for providing a sleeping surface.
 16. The sleeping platform of claim 14, wherein the mat comprises a plurality of slats and a hinge between each pair of adjacent slats.
 17. The sleeping platform of claim 1, wherein the mattress comprises a flexible foam mattress having at least one egg-crate patterned surface.
 18. A device for use with a sleeping platform on a seating surface having at least two adjacent cushions, for keeping the cushions from separating during sleep, comprising a semi-rigid support member for spanning over an area between the cushions, and a vertical anchor member connected to a lower surface of the support member for engagement between the two adjacent cushions of the seating surface.
 19. The device of claim 18, wherein the a vertical anchor member is hinged to the lower surface of the support member.
 20. The device of claim 18, including a flexible, high-friction cover layer on the support surface. 